Stop this racism

Stop this racism

Zero-tolerance policy needed towards attacks on African students in India.
In what has become a recurring problem, racial attacks against Africans have now taken place in Greater Noida, UP. In the first instance, four Africans were brutally assaulted after a protest march by local residents over the death of a 16-year-old boy, allegedly from a drug overdose, targeted them. This assault was followed by a Kenyan student being dragged out of her taxi and beaten up. A tense situation prevails in Greater Noida, posing the first big law and order test for the Yogi Adityanath government in UP.
There's no ignoring the fact that violent attacks against African students studying in Indian universities have been rising. Last year a series of such attacks had led to a strong protest from African diplomatic missions in India. Back then, the ministry of external affairs had assured full protection to African guests. It's promising the same again in the wake of the Greater Noida attacks. True, the police have filed cases against nearly 600 people for rioting and booked 44 people for attempt to murder over the recent assaults. But African students continue to feel vulnerable and complain of daily racism.
At a time when the Union government has initiated a major diplomatic outreach to Africa as exemplified by its hosting of the India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015, such racial attacks on Africans jeopardise government efforts. African students come to India dreaming of obtaining quality education in a diverse country. However, many end up bitterly disappointed when they face abuse and harassment. Not only is this bad for India's international image, if India cannot control racist outbreaks at home it reduces New Delhi's moral and diplomatic space to protest when racist attacks are perpetrated against Indians abroad.
While it goes without saying that a zero-tolerance policy must be adopted towards racial attacks, there's also a need to address derogatory perceptions prevalent among people about Africans. Widespread ignorance exists about African culture and history as exemplified by the usage of terms such as `Nigerian' and `habshi' for all African visitors. For such racism to exist in the 21st century is unconscionable. Hence, community-level programmes need to be initiated to bring locals and Africans together and foster greater understanding. Perhaps Prime Minister Narendra Modi ought to broach the topic of irrational mob attacks on Africans and how such attacks harm India for his next `Mann ki Baat'.